NEW DELHI: As the election results ensured victory for the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, Malayali people living in the city welcomed the mandate. Malayali associations and individuals in the city said the results once again proved that political change takes place in the state periodically. Roughly 7–8 lakh Malayalis live in Delhi and its neighbouring cities, and many of them had travelled to their native state to exercise their franchise.
Welcoming the Congress party’s victory, they said the results were on expected lines, as the LDF had completed its 10-year term and change had become inevitable. They added that both the UDF and LDF are equally close to people from the state living in the capital, as both have contributed to Kerala’s development.
Hence, they said, the change of guard should not be read too deeply. K Raghunath, president of the Delhi Malayalee Association, said the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government in Delhi had done significant work for people from Kerala residing in the city for livelihood. He said the party leadership had generally remained close to South Indians, and therefore many were pleased with the poll outcome.
“If we talk about construction of temples, ensuring basic facilities, and facilitating people coming from the state, the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government always stood by them. A similar situation was seen in Kerala under previous Congress governments, which did considerable work for the betterment of the people,” he said.
KK Tony, a Kerala native living in Karol Bagh, said the LDF government also did good work under CM Pinarayi Vijayan, but some party workers were dissatisfied at the grassroots level.
He said that with a change of guard, Congress emerged as a natural choice. “Since the BJP has no strong base in the state, Congress is a likely option. We believe the party will continue to support people living outside Kerala,” he said.
Johny, another Kerala native living in south Delhi, said voters in the state make informed choices while electing their government and representatives. “Kerala is a highly educated state, and governments function accordingly. We believe any government there will work for the welfare of Malayalis,” he further said.
